殿(ぶつでん)

ぶつでん
noun
Buddha hall; main hall of a Zen temple
1. Buddha hall; main hall of a Zen temple
The main building in a Zen Buddhist temple complex that houses the principal Buddha image. The central hall of worship in Zen temple architecture.
仏殿(ぶつでん)参拝(さんぱい)する。
To worship at the Buddha hall.
鎌倉(かまくら)円覚寺(えんがくじ)仏殿(ぶつでん)国宝(こくほう)指定(してい)されている。
The Buddha hall of Engaku-ji in Kamakura is designated a National Treasure.
禅宗(ぜんしゅう)寺院(じいん)仏殿(ぶつでん)七堂伽藍(しちどうがらん)中心(ちゅうしん)位置(いち)し、本尊(ほんぞん)仏像(ぶつぞう)安置(あんち)されている。
The Buddha hall is situated at the center of a Zen temple's seven-hall complex and houses the principal Buddhist image.

A compound of (ぶつ) (Buddha) and 殿(でん) (hall, palace). Specifically refers to the main worship hall in Zen Buddhist temple architecture. While other Buddhist sects use terms like 本堂(ほんどう) (main hall) or 金堂(こんどう) (golden hall), 仏殿(ぶつでん) is the term used in Zen temple layouts.

In the traditional Zen temple plan known as 七堂伽藍(しちどうがらん) (seven-hall layout), the 仏殿(ぶつでん) is one of the essential buildings.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 仏殿(ぶつでん)参拝(さんぱい)する: to visit and worship at the Buddha hall
  • 仏殿(ぶつでん)建立(こんりゅう)する: to erect a Buddha hall
  • 仏殿(ぶつでん)本尊(ほんぞん): the principal image of the Buddha hall

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 本堂(ほんどう): main hall — the general term for a temple's main worship hall, used across all Buddhist sects
  • 金堂(こんどう): golden hall — the main hall in older temple styles (Nara, Heian period)
  • 法堂(はっとう): Dharma hall — the hall for sermons and lectures in a Zen temple, distinct from the 仏殿(ぶつでん)